Hand-strap.



J. S. DOYLE.

STRAP.

APPMGATION 111.21) In 13.1909.

989,237, I Patentd Apr. 11,1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. DOYLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANKHEDLEY, 0 NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAND-STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed May 13, 1909. Serial No. 495,734.

'My. inventionrelates to .hand straps and particularly to that class ofdevices em- 'ployed onst-reet railway or other cars to be sengers forsupport.

The object of the invention is to provide a hand strap on grip device ofthe character referred to which is simple in construction andarrangement and clean-and sanitary in use.

A further object is to provide a hand strap or grip device which, inuse, affords a support free from swinging movement in the direction ofthe length of the car.

A further object is to provide a hand strap or grip device which, whennot in use isretained in a normally retracted position.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination,location and relagrasped or held by standing or other pastivearrangement ofparts all as will be more fully. hereinafter set forth, asshown in the drawing andfinally pointed out in the appended claims.

. In the drawing Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a hand strapembodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 iso broken view insection on the line 2, 2, Fig. 1, look: ing in the direction of thearrows. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figs. 1and 2,- Fig. 4 is a broken view, in transverse section of a portion of acar body showing. the hand strap support and the strap itself in itsnormally retracted position. Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section ofa modified form of strap support embodying the broad principles of myinvention. Fig. 6 is a view in section on the line 6, 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a view in elevation of another modification embodying the principlesof my invention. Fig. 8 is a view in section on the line 8, 8, Fig. 7.

The same .part is designated by the same reference sign wherever itoccurs throughout the several views.

Reference sign A, designates the hand strap or grip device designed tobe grasped by a passenger on a street or other car, or in any otherplace where such a device is or may be employed or desired, and bymeansof which the person grasping the same may be steadied or supported. Thishand grip or strap, while it may be of any suitable material, and of anydesired shape or form adapting it to its purpose, is shown in the form.of a'loop with the bight of the loop forming. the grip portion to begraspedby the hand, as indicated in dotted lines 1n Fig.

4. If desired, and preferably, this grip is of metal or covered orcoated with an enamel or other suitable material which, can be readilyandeasily cleaned, thereby avoiding the danger of harboring ortransmitting disease germs.

The hand strap may' be supported in the car or other place where it isto be used, in many different ways. I have shown various arrangementswhich I will now describe.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and l, the ends of the hand strap are securedtoa sleeve portion B, which is mo'unted on a tubular or otherconvenient. form of support C, which,

in this instance, though not necessarily is mounted in or carried bybrackets D in the car, and in osition for the hand strap to be suspendedtherefrom and conveniently grasped. In this form of the device thesleeve portion B is of such length as to be afiorded sufficient bearingon the support C to prevent rocking or swinging movement of the strap inthe direction of thelength of the car, or of the support C.

It may sometimes be desirable to permit the hand-strap when in use, toswing. in a direction transverse the length of the car, or laterallywith reference to the support C.

It may also be desirable to retain the hand strap in a normallyretracted position out of the way. In the accomplishment of theseobjects and purposes, I provide a yielding connection between the handgri device and "tension of said spring being normally exerted to retainthe hand strap retracted, as shown in Fig. 4. In use, however, the strapis readily swung downinto vertical position, as indicated in dottedlines, being free to vibrate laterally or transversely of the car butheld against swinging movement longitudinally of the car. If desired,and in order to afl'ord a stop to limit the lateral swing of the strapdevice, the sleeve B, may be provided with a slot H, to receive the bentportion J, of the spring E, the base of said slot cooperating with thebent portion J to form a limit stop. A simple construction for securingthe strap to the sleeve is shown, wherein the ends K, of the strap arebolted, riveted or otherwise fastened to I a stem L, formed on or withthe sleeve.

It may sometimes be desirable to prevent any swinging movement of thehand strap when in use, while, at the same time, when not in use it isheld in retracted position. In Figs. 5 and 6, have shown an arrangementembodying this idea, the strap itself being omitted. In this case'thesleeve portion B, is mounted upon the support 0', as before, but is ofsuflicient internal diameter to permit a relative movement laterallywith respect to said support. A spring E, is mounted on the support andconnected at the ends thereof respectively to the sleeve and support.This spring is somewhat peculiarly coiled upon the support, that is, thecoils'thereof are displaced out of cylindrical form, as shown, to enablethe spring to perform two functions, namely, to normally rock or swingthe sleeve and with it, the hand strap, not shown, into a retractedposition, and also, to bear the sleeve laterally away from the support,so as to carry the lug or projection M, out of engaging relation withrespect to a seat or openlng N, in the support C. With this constructionand arrangement it will be readily seen that in the normal retractedposition, as shownv in full lines in Fig. 6, the lug or projection M, iswithdrawn from the seat or recess N, and

the sleeve B, is rotatively displaced on its support. When, however, thehand strap is grasped for use, the sleeve is rocked axially by thedownward swing of the strap against the torsion tension of the spring,the lug M riding over the exterior surface of the support 0, until it isbrought into register with the seat or recess N, in the support and thena slight downward pull on the strap against the tension of the displacedcoils of the spring causes the lug M, to enter the recess or seat N,thereby locking strap device against swinging movement in either alongitudinal or a lateral direction. By releasing the strap the lug M israised out of the recess N, and the sleeve is again axially moved toretract the strap.-

In some cases it may be desirable to dispense with the feature ofnormally holding the strap device in retracted position when notrequired for use, but to hold the same rigid against rockin'g orswinging movement in any direction when in use. In Figs. 7 and 8, I haveshown a construction embodying this idea, wherein the sleeve B is oflarger interior diameter than the exterior diameter of the support C Astud or pin P, is secured to the sleeve and works loosely through anopening in the support 0 A spring E is interposed between the support 0and a shoulder R, on the pin and normally exerts its-tension on said pinor stud and, through it, on .the sleeve B to movethe latter laterallywith respect to the support C ,-and to hold the lower end of the pin orstud out of engagement with a seat or openingT, in the support. When thestrap, not shown, is in use, a slight downward pull thereon will causethe spring E to be compressed and-the structions em odying theprinciplesthereof,

what I claim as new and useful and of iny own invention and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is':

1, The combination with-a hand strap, of a sleeve to which the ends ofthe stra are connected, and a support on which the s eeve is mounted.

2. The combination with a hand strap, of a sleeve'having a stem, theends of the strap being secured to said stem, and a support on whichsaid sleeve is mounted.

3. The combination with a hand strap, a sleeve to which the ends of thestrap are connected, and a support on which the'sleeve is mounted, ofmeans for normally maintaining the sleeve rocked to hold the strap inretracted .position.

4. The combination With a hand strap, a sleevetowhich the ends of thestrap are connected, a support for the sleeve, and a spring iisconnecting said sleeve and support and opcrating to normally retain thestrap in res tracted position.

5. The combination with a hand strap, a sleeve to which the ends of thestrap are connected, a support for the sleeve, a spring. respectivelyconnecting the sleeve and support, and a limit stop to limit the swingof the sleeve on the support.

6. The combination of a support, a spring said support and sleeve, and ahand strap 10 coiled thereon, a sleeve mounted on said suphaving itsends connected to said sleeve. port, the ends of said spring beingconnected In testimony whereof I have hereunto set to said support andsleeve respectively, and m hand in the presence of the subscribing 5 arigid hand strap connected to said sleeve. w1tnesses,on this 8th day ofMay A. D., 1909.

7. The combination of a support, a spring JAMES S. DOYLE. coiledthereon, a sleeve mounte on sai sup- \Vitnesses: portand inclosing saidspring, the ends of J. E. KLEIN,

said spring being connected respectively to CLARENCE HUNICKE.

